Horror-101

The ninth annual Rhode Island International Horror Film Festival took place recently, and H101 was on hand to cover all the great independent films being screened. What follows is the first of two parts chronicling the short films that were showed, which will also be followed by a report on the feature films, so stay tuned:

Sebastian’s Voodoo (2008)
directed by Joaquin Baldwin

Voodoo dolls are typically used to destroy the life of a person, but in Sebastian’s Voodoo they have lives of their own. The four-minute, 3D animated short is about a voodoo doll that must save his fellow friend from getting pinned by using the sharp instruments on himself to take down the maker. The animation from director Joaquin Baldwin is impressive enough to make Pixar jealous, and the instrumental accompaniment is fitting.

The Facts in the Case of Mister Hollow (2008)
directed by Rodrigo Gudino

A picture is truly worth a thousand words in the innovative The Facts in the Case of Mister Hollow. The viewer is presented with single photo from the 1930’s, but the camera repeatedly zooms in on one of the many layers to reveal new evidence of the story. It’s an original, well-executed idea with good visual effects and a fitting five minuted run time.

At Night (2007)
directed by Max Landes

A couple are watching a steamy, film noir-looking mystery film on the television in At Night, but soon the lines between fact and fiction are blurred in a Lynchian manner. The vivid colors popping from the television contest nicely with the dull room tones. Although the ten minutes seemed a bit drawn out (I love seeing a woman shower as much as the next guy, but I wanted something to happen), there was also suspense in the waiting. I usually prefer a more linear story, but this was well-done.

Harvest Moon (2008)
directed by Micah Ranum

A couple’s marriage is on the rocks in Harvest Moon, but things take a turn for the better when a trio of burglars show up. The couple just happens to be vampires, and they are bonded back together by blood. This nine minute short is a fun little horror/comedy.

Bendito el fruto de tu vientre (2007)
directed by Sara Seligman

Blessed is the Fruit of the Woman is a seventeen-minute Spanish short based on a true story. It’s about a Hispanic mother and daughter who run a B&B in the country. They off their latest guest as always but then find out a horrible secret about him. It’s well done but more of a drama than anything.

Victor y la Maquina (2007)
directed by Carlos Talamanca

Victor and the Machine is an arhouse tribute to Frankenstein in which a little boy uses his mechanic knowledge to bring a man back to life using spare motorcycle parts. The nine minutes are shot in black and white without dialogue, and the accompanying score is charming.

Voigtkampff (2008)
directed by Tobias Suhm

Voigtkampff is a fourteen-minute German short. I can’t say much else about it, because it didn’t make too much sense. It was more of a horror-influenced action flick with plenty of gun shots. I believe it was some sort of a revenge story, but it was bizarre, experimental, and silent. The effects were good and moments were reminiscent of The Matrix. It was visually appealing but mentally disorienting.

Mirror, Mirror (2008)
directed by Valerie Champagne

Many children have overactive imaginations, but things getting out of hand with the young girl in Mirror, Mirror, who is tries to conjure up a spirit in her bathroom mirror in order to save her terminally ill father. It’s a fourteen minute short combines drama, fantasy, and a bit of horror.